


What Remains

by Auriana Valoria (AuriV1)



Series: The Hawke and Her Prince [2]
Category: Dragon Age II
Genre: Dragon Age Quest: All That Remains, F/M, Grief/Mourning
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-16
Updated: 2017-09-16
Packaged: 2018-12-30 07:52:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 932
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12104124
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AuriV1/pseuds/Auriana%20Valoria
Summary: Sebastian comforts Hawke after their search for Leandra.





	What Remains

Sebastian found Hawke in her room, sitting on the floor before the warm fire, her back against the side of her bed. She wore a plain red silk robe, her feet bare, her golden hair freed from its usual ponytail and spilling loose about her shoulders. Her head was bowed forward, her face hidden by the curtain of strawberry blonde as she rested her forehead on her raised knees. She hugged herself tightly, and the shuddering of her body and occasional sniffle betrayed the fact she was crying.

He knew she must have heard him enter. Though he had discarded his bow and quiver at the door, he still wore his armor, and the door itself wasn’t exactly the quietest in the world. Upon seeing her there, curled in on herself on the floor, he gently closed the door behind him for privacy’s sake and approached her with light feet.

“Hawke,” he said softly, making his way closer with caution. He didn’t know how she would react to his presence so soon after…after the tragedy.

She didn’t look up.

He took a deep breath, preparing himself, and then edged closer, easing down beside her with the slight jangle of metal and the distinct creak of leather. He said nothing as he watched her, drawing his own knees up and propping his arms atop them. Part of it was because he wasn’t sure exactly what to say. What _could_ he say? Nothing would make this better for her. Not even the Chant. And so he sat there in silence for the longest time, azure eyes transfixed on the fire before them, at a loss for words but unwilling to leave her alone. She didn’t need to be alone…not now.

_“I…should have done something…”_

Her voice was but a whisper, so quiet he barely heard it.

“Hawke,” he said gently, “this isn’t your fault.”

“ _Yes it is!_ ” she snapped, her head jerking upwards abruptly as she looked at him at last. Her eyes were icy daggers against her reddened, tear-swollen skin. “Those lilies…those damned _lilies_! If I had just warned Bodahn…or Mother…”

“Hawke, you know if that bastard wanted Leandra, he could have taken her even without lilies to help him.”

“I should have been there!” she cried. “I should have been there to save her, and I wasn’t!” Fresh tears spilled down her face, now, her sobs coming out whether she wanted them to or not. “I…I was supposed…to protect them…after father…”

“ _Shhh_.” Sebastian reached for her, looping an arm around her quaking shoulders. That small encouragement was all she needed to allow herself to practically fall against him, curling into his chest and weeping in earnest. It brought tears to his own eyes to see her like this, and he held her tighter. There was a part of him that had felt much the same as she did after he had heard the news of his family’s murders.

“First…it was Father,” her voice was muffled against his breastplate. “Then…it was poor Bethany. Now Mother…who next? Gamlen? Carver? _Me_? Are we cursed to just drop like flies, one after the other, until…until there’s no one left?”

“You’re not cursed, Hawke.”

“Aren’t I?” she pulled away and looked him in the face, icy eyes searching his. “I’m a mage, aren’t I? That’s a curse, according to the Chantry. I thought you knew that, Sebastian! Worse, I’m an apostate, just like that piece of shit that murdered my mother! And so was my sister and my father before me! The worst thing Mother ever did was run away with my father. If she hadn’t been so stupidly love-struck, _none_ of this would have happened! The Maker cursed us all…”

“Ainsleigh,” he leaned forward, cupping her face in his half-gloved hands and pressing his forehead to hers, “don’t talk like that. The Chant of Light calls magic the Maker’s gift…and you and your sister and your father were and are _nothing_ like that maleficar. You use your magic as it should be used, for good.”

“But I couldn’t use it to save her, Sebastian…”

“I know,” he whispered, tucking her head under his chin, “And now I am certain she is at the Maker’s side now. Just like your father and your sister. You avenged your mother, Ainsleigh – she will walk with the Maker, but _he_ will _never_ find rest in the Beyond.”

She resumed her crying, then, and he slowly stroked through her hair to soothe her. She was falling to pieces in his arms, this lovely woman who captivated him so, and he was trying desperately to hold her together.

“I…” she hiccupped, “I don’t want to have to avenge anyone else, Sebastian. But I’m so afraid that the more time people spend with me, the more likely that is to happen.” She pushed away again and met his eyes. “I’m losing everyone I hold dear. I don’t want to lose you, too.”

The words pierced his heart as swiftly and sharply as an arrow. Smiling softly, he lifted a hand to her face and gently wiped away the tracks of tears under her eyes.

“You won’t, Ainsleigh. I promise. As long as you want me here with you, you’ll have me.”

Her own mouth pulled into a trembling smile in answer, and she fell against him again, embracing him tightly. Her face buried into his neck, and he bent, pressing a chaste kiss to her head and adding, “And I’ve got you. Don’t you worry, my Hawke. I’ve got you.”


End file.
